There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by. A life of good days lived in the senses is not enough. The life of sensation is the life of greed; it requires more and more. The life of the spirit requires less and less; time is ample and its passage sweet. Who would call a day spent reading a good day? But a life spent reading -- that is a good life. Annie Dillard

Morning y'all,It's another brisk, clear morning up top. The high yesterday reached 24 degrees. The low got down to negative 2 degrees. It was 13 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation yesterday. The snowfall total is still around 6 inches total. Things are supposed to warm up here over the next few days, so expect some thaw/refreeze action on the trails. It should be a wonderful day to be out. Enjoy it!

A rare day of peace on Alum.

The fresh, untraveled snow gave the woods here a lovely, untamed quality. As I was walking through the powder on my evening rounds, I meditated on how lovely the contrast is between the abundant, green tunnel woods of summer and the stark, subtle tones of winter. In winter, these woods are like a haiku. There is not much substance, but they are hinting at the interconnectedness of all things. It is up to the reader to put these clues together. Like a master poet, Nature continually astounds - especially when you smugly begin to think you have seen it all. There is no such thing, this classic is constantly reinventing itself.

Good morning. Great photos today as usual. I especially liked the one of the snow-covered trail which appears to me to be that level section of the Alum trail leading out from the lodge. Regardless, the photo just brings to my mind the sheer peacefulness of hiking on an unbroken trail covered with fresh newly fallen snow. Hearing the distinctive crunching sound of my hiking boots as they impress themselves in the snow with each forward step and resounding prominently in my auditory senses brings the peace and solitude of the woods fully to a heightened level. Sometimes on such a delightful hike I might pause frequently to simply gaze back behind me to fully realize that it's actually me making those footprints. With each step it seems that multiple sensations arouse all my senses. There's nothing quite like it. It makes me to simply sit or stand still and breathe in the cold fresh air, allowing my heartrate to settle into a calming rhythm and my eyes to focus on the beauty surrounding me at the moment. The invigorating atmosphere is far more effective than any artificial application, internally or externally. I appreciate this wonderful photo. G'morning

Larry O

1/30/2014 12:23:04 am

Doug Y, I here you! but if you hike before me I won't get to experience unbroken trail.

Hey Larry O: Just tell me which trail you want and I'll hold off and follow your footprints ! I'm not greedy at all. It's nice to hear someone else profess a love for such trekking. Yes, unbroken snow-covered trails are a wonderful treat. G'day

T-Wayne

1/30/2014 02:17:15 am

Have been hiking as it began to snow, the most peaceful time I've ever experienced, your tracks disappear behind you. You get to break trail coming & going. Everyone should experience this moment at least once in their life.

Mary Anne

1/30/2014 12:32:26 am

It was stunningly quiet on the way to Ramsey Cascades last Saturday. Only 2 others in front of us, they passed us at about the halfway point, leaving the trail and the falls to our little group of 3. We couldn't believe we had reached the falls, usually so noisy, but looked up and saw the frozen wonder of it. Quiet, one small rivulet making tinkling sounds, water moving under ice, perfect beauty. It was 4 degrees at my house in Cosby just a half hour ago. Everything is sparkling now as the sun strikes frosty branches and dazzles the eye. Thanks J.P. for your inspiring words of high country wisdom.

Hey Mary Anne: It's a pleasure to read another's comments about Ramsey Cascades ! One winter I had camped over at the N.C. site of Smokemont because they had begun closing Elkmont, so early one morning I had to drive back across the mountain and up to the Ramsey trailhead, a nice drive though. As I hiked the four mile uop to the cascades I spotted these small "snowmen" along the side of the trail that someone had made and it had to be the day before because I was on that trail pretty early on. These little snowmen were interesting but other than that I could only imagine why someone had made them. Yes, the cascades are very pretty when covered with ice and snow - -by the time I reached that spot the snow was about two or three inches deep very nice to see. It's a very good hike of eight miles round-trip as you know. G'day

Larry O

1/30/2014 01:43:36 am

Mary Ann, how was the road to the trailhead? I though it would be closed? I may try to do that trail tomorrow.

Mary Anne

1/31/2014 11:25:13 am

I hiked up to Ramsey last Saturday. The road was open when we drove up, but they had put up a barricade that we had to move at the Ranger Station. I assume they closed the gate the next day. This morning (Friday) the first gate was open, but I don't know about the one at the Ranger Station. The road was ok for us Subaru drivers when we drove out, but it had sleeted most of the morning. I know I could not get up my Cosby driveway when I got home!

Terry

1/30/2014 01:03:14 am

Love the Annie Dillard quotes! I recommend Flannery O'Conner if you haven't discovered her yet. Mary Anne I wish you could post some photos of the frozen cascades. We'd love to see them.

Mary Anne

1/31/2014 11:21:28 am

Terry, you can go to FaceBook and see some photos that I posted there. Mine are open for all to see so you should be able to find the Ramsey ones easily.

Terry

1/31/2014 11:29:48 am

Thank you!

Mary Anne

1/31/2014 11:57:15 pm

Sorry, it is Mary Anne Rudolph on FB.

Terry

2/1/2014 12:11:43 am

Thank you, the pictures are great! Had a nice little brain teaser trying to find your page without a last name. Fruitless but fun none the less.

Ben

1/30/2014 12:02:59 pm

What, no Leni Riefenstahl memorial today? Ezra Pound?

Comments are closed.

LeConte Lodge

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